BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg has been praised and condemned on social media following her stern questioning of Donald Trump during the US president's joint press conference with Prime Minister Theresa May.

Invited to pose a question to both leaders, Ms Kuenssberg raised a number of issues that have caused consternation in the UK, saying: "Mr President, you've said before that torture works, you've praised Russia, you've said you want to ban some Muslims from coming to America, you've suggested there should be punishment for abortion.

"For many people in Britain those sound like alarming beliefs. What do you say to our viewers at home who are worried about some of your views and worried about you becoming the leader of the free world?"

Mr Trump pointed to Ms Kuenssberg and turned to Mrs May, saying: "This was your choice of a question?"

May and Trump take questions from the pressCredit:
Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

He then leaned in to the microphone and joked: "There goes that relationship."

His response prompted laughter in the room - but some viewers criticised the BBC journalist's questioning as "rude":